Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-02
INTERSTATE COMMERCE
Representatives from the Birmingham
Coal and Iron Regions Ask the
Suspension Of Section Four.
A Stagnation OF the Iron Business
OccasiOned by the Increase Of Rates
North OF the Ohio River.
The Mobile Cotton Exchange Protests
Against the Suspension of the Law on
Account Of Discri arinatforr.

MOBILE, ALA, May AT yesterdays
session of the interstate commission
several gentlemen from the Birmingham
coal and iron regions with petitions ask
ing for the suspensiorof the fourth Sec
ton, were heard. James Bauren, secre--
tary and treasurer of the Alabama Coal,
Iron and Railroad Company, stated that
the pig iron product of Alabama, 800 tons
per day, would shortly be raised to 1900
tons. There was no local consumption
70 Justify such product. and they must
seeH distant markets. TIE business of
this company began with formal contracts
extending over number OF years, under
which the railroads gave low rates In re-
turn for the guarantee of steady business,
and under these contracts !he railroad
business had steadily increased.
Since the bill went into
effect, instead Of making daily sales Of SOC
tons, they made sales of not more than
100, mostly for shipment by water. This
had capital stock of $4,000
900 and bonded debt of 5000, 900, and
was seriously affected by the law Some
of the works are outside of the limits of
Birmingham. Ten thousand people are
employed outside in portions of our
W OIhS WHICH COuItS IOG DC CDuuItu as D4EI
of Birmingham. We own $50 900 acres
of coal lands, and have invested in Guild
ings and machinery not less than 5,0OO,-
900.
Judge COoley-''Do I understand that
SIC 900, Geo mas been actually invested in
lands aud property by your company"
BaureE-GYes, sir."
Mr.. Baureu went on to say tha value of
the cOmpany's stock mad been steadily de
Ginning OWING to the stagustion in the iron
business. This stagnatiOn had been caused
by the enforcement Of the law as TO the
roads north Of the OHIO river, not to
OyerprOdUcsion as the stocks We're CO. 600
to Z, 600 tens short.
Judge CoOler-''As ! uudertand you,
you expect to be crippled by this act, but
not By any OverprJductiOn of trade?'
Bauren-'@I know that if could say l
would deliver iron Cor three or six
months at St. Louis or Detroit at the old
rates OF freight we could sell 5000 to
5000 tons inside of the next twenty days.
We have competitors in New York, New
Eastern Pennsylvania, Missouri,
ETC."
Judge Cooey-tShould not the cost
to make iron st Birmingham be less than
at those points,"
Bauren-"Yes; the expansion of eleven
fold in the last few years is sufficient
proof of that fact"
Judge CUOley-''Is it because of these
contracts with railroads that you are able
to put your products in these competing
markets?"
Bauren-''Yes sir"
Judge CoOley-"Do The manufacturers
of Michigan, Pennsylvania, etc, regard
this as JUST? Is it not the tendency to
drive them out of business?"
Bauren-''Ee Legislation Is designed to
produce the greatest good for the great
est mum Der. Whatever their opinion the
up there are fifty to one of the
and the consumers could
hold up their hands aud bless a commits
sion which should help them"
The other iron men of Birmingham con-
CURED in these views.
The representatives of the Southern
Yellow Pine Lumber Manufacturers As
sociation presented their case. They, too,
were hampered by increased rates north
of the Ohio river. They were charged local
rates from st. Louis TO Kansas City.
Mr. Morrison called attention to the
fact that the main line between St.
Louis and Kansas City was wholly
in Missouri, and therefore beyond the com
control. He stated that only
three of the southern roads had resumed
their former rates since the fourth section
had been suspended for their benefit.
protest from the Mobile Cotton EX-
change against the suspension of the law
was presented. 1t charged that railroads
against Mobile in the max
ing of through rates. When the water
was high and there was steamboat COM
petition very low TaNes were secured.